Juan Lopez Corona (2001): Discontinued Cigar Review Weekend

[ChanceSchmerr]

A Chilly night here in Victoria, but I'm finally on the mend after a bad cold, and primed for a good cigar!

For a discontinued cigar, I went for something I havn't had in a long while - the long-forgotten Juan Lopez Corona.  I remember when I first joined FOH in 2008, and Rob/Lisa used to send out "Aged Cigar" lists to show what was available. Juan Lopez Coronas were on that list - the first...and last time I've ever seen them for sale with Czars.  Shoulda jumped when I had the chance!

This 2001 cigar comes from a fiver I won at a Toronto Megaherf auction.  The wrapper is light, veering close to Candela, without too much oils left, but still smooth and supple. Sure, there are some light veins, but I don't mind!  A clip of the cap yields a perfect draw, with just a light resistance, but even lighter flavour.  Hopefully there's something left to the ol' girl!  I pair it with some Ardbeg Still Young (aren't we all?) and the netflix show I'm watching these days, Oliver Stone's "The Untold History of the United States".  Fascinating stuff, if a bit slanted towards leftist ideals a little bit.  

First third is underway, and we're off with lots of grassiness, but little else to tickle my fancy.  I'm a bit surprised but the draw is fine and the smoke is copious, so it's not construction.  Fingers crossed this shows me something a little more soon....

My patience is rewarded about an inch in, as we start to get lots of creaminess and baking spices to the fore : some cinnamon, a hint of clove, and lots of sweet sugar cookie.  Now we're talking!  It tastes the way I'd expect a proper JL Seleccion No. 2 to taste after about 10 years of age, after the mongrel strength has backed off and the richness is allowed to show through without the overpowering strength.  It tastes like a proper Juan Lopez.  The grassiness has mostly dissipated.  Now we're talking!

As we move towards the final third, it's firing on all cylinders, as the sweetness fades and the cinnamon cookie note remains steady, with creaminess to compliment it nicely.  No edges to the flavour profile, this baby is smooth and enjoyable.  The burn is bang on, and the draw remains excellent.  Near the final inch, she starts to rise in power, but never overbearing, and I nub it with my fingers about to singe - this was excellent!

A wonderful swing down memory lane, and another reminder to me about what I always hammer on about with Coronas - to me, they always represent the intended flavour profile of the marca, with few exceptions. This was exactly along that line - it tasted just as I expected, after a tepid start, it came on after an inch and never let me down afterward.  It was as Juan Lopez is intended.  It may never return to the catalogue, and for me, it's not in my top 15 of discontinued cigars - but it always has a place in my humidor, and I wouldn't turn down a chance for more if I had the opportunity (and the goods or money to exchange for it LOL).  A fitting tribute to Juan Lopez!

A score?  if not for that tepid start, it'd be a 95, but we'll call it 93 overall.  

Cheers all! 

Mods - If you wanna help out by rotating my photos, I'd be very much obliged   Thanks!

[zeedubbya]

Nice review.  Thanks!!

[OZCUBAN]

Great review Chris must be cold there love the gloves nice touch 

will get cracking on mine this arvo 

cheers Steve 

[ChanceSchmerr]

15 minutes ago, OZCUBAN said:

Great review Chris must be cold there love the gloves nice touch 

will get cracking on mine this arvo 

cheers Steve 

It is a little chilly here LOL. My wife knitted these cigar gloves for me a couple of years ago - she's awesome  

[TheMonk]

Good job!

[BuzzArd]

Nicely done.  Love Juan Lopez.  Only have S1 and S2 here at the house.  Nice to read about others.

Regarding those photos, if you've snapped them with your phone camera, prior to uploading make a small edit to the image if you can.  I simply make a very slight crop and that's all it takes.  They'll upload properly after (at least mine do).

[PigFish]

When I saw the tittle I thought it might be the one that I sent you for your Coronas Smoke-off. I did not remember if you ever smoked and rated that cigar.

Great review anyway my friend. I still have most of one box of these and I do recall vaguely about smoking one last year.

Keep your hands warm... and cold fingers out of your nose!!! -LOL

-R

[Sean3]

Nice review.  Love me some Juan Lopez!

[Fugu]

Great review - sounds delish! Let's hope they'll keep the PC for the time being...

[Dimmers]

Im at my limit of 'like this' given for the day.... so here's my manual LIKE THIS !